NRL 2021: Broncos face future fight to retain Payne Haas; Tevita Pangai Jnr linked to rival
Brisbane will face a fight to retain one of the NRL’s best value players, while a high-paid star has been linked to a rival club. It’s all in Sport Confidential.
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News Corp’s latest instalment of the Rich 100, to be unveiled from Saturday, will put pressure on the Broncos to retain Payne Haas in the face of poaching threats for the NSW Origin prop.
Sport Confidential can reveal a number of Sydney-based clubs have Haas on their hit list in a bid to steal Brisbane’s best young forward from the club.
The potential loss of Haas would be a crippling blow for the Broncos. They have lost Reece Walsh, David Fifita, Sam Walker, Xavier Coates and Tom Dearden in the last two years and new Broncos head-of-football Ben Ikin is tasked with ensuring Haas stays at Red Hill for the long haul.
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The good news for Brisbane is they have time to work on Haas. The 21-year-old signed a six-year deal as a teenager and is off-contract at the Broncos at the end of 2024.
That means NRL rivals cannot table formal offers until November 1, 2023, giving the Broncos a major headstart to make Haas the face of their engine room as coach Kevin Walters looks to rebuild the struggling club.
Our exclusive Rich 100 shows Haas is one of the most underpaid players in the NRL in relative terms. While his $550,000 contract this season is hardly a pittance, Haas earns almost $200,000 less than Tevita Pangai Jnr and former Broncos teammate Matt Lodge, who are nowhere near as consistent.
Based on Brisbane’s individual performances in the past two years, Haas should be the highest-paid player at the club.
At the moment, Haas and Coates are the only Broncos in the State of Origin arena.
Once again, Haas’ numbers this season are outstanding. The 117kg hulk is averaging 163 metres and 33 tackles per game and has amassed 33 tackle busts to underline his status as arguably the best young prop in the code.
Haas is close mates with Fifita and was shocked by his decision to quit the Broncos to sign with the Titans last year. NRL rivals are prepared to pay Haas more than $900,000 annually, but the Kangaroos enforcer will give the Broncos every opportunity to keep him.
“I like the Broncos,” he told News Corp last month. “I know some guys have left but this is a special club with a rich history. Things can happen in footy, we all know that, but I would like to be part of us having success again.
“I have some flaws in my game I have to work on, I am still a young middle and I’m proud of what I have done in a short space of time. I want to keep working hard and see what I can do.”
BUCKING MAD BRONCOS
Broncos veteran Ben Te’o may have been forced into an early retirement following coach Kevin Walters’ decision to put his team through a brutal training session on Sunday.
Te’o was one of four players to suffer injuries during the high-intensity session.
After having a week off following the 46-0 loss to South Sydney, the Broncos returned to training on Sunday under new fitness coach Dave Ballard, following the sacking of Andrew Croll.
They were put through time trials and fitness testing. Te’o (calf) broke down along with Karmichael Hunt (calf), Albert Kelly (hamstring) and Brendan Piakura (ankle).
The off-contract Te’o hasn’t played since Round 5 due to a pec injury and may not get back on the park this year.
This stage of the NRL season is considered to be survival mode and you will struggle to find another club that wants to test their players’ fitness levels.
Walters wrote off the injuries as part of the game.
“We had a tough initiation back for the guys and unfortunately picked up a couple of injuries out of it,” he told Triple M.
“That’s footy. We’ve just got to get on with things and make the best of what we’ve got here at the moment.
“We can use the lockdown time to come together as a group and spend some more time together.”
Centre Kotoni Staggs said the players were expecting to be tested following a week’s break.
“We had a week off to get away from football and we all did that,” he said.
“We knew Sunday was going to be pretty tough after having a week off. We always knew we’d get a bit of a flogging there.
“That’s what we needed after having a week off. We had to test ourselves and see where we were.”
ANOTHER BRONCO COULD ENTER DRAGONS DEN
Dragons coach Anthony Griffin is eyeing off another Broncos star with Tevita Pangai Jnr the latest Brisbane player being linked to the Red V.
The Dragons have joined the Wests Tigers and Bulldogs by registering interest in Pangai Jnr, who remains hot property despite suggestions the Broncos have backflipped on plans to offload him.
The Broncos dropped a bombshell a fortnight ago by advising Pangai Jnr, who is contracted until the end of 2022, that he is free to find another club.
Broncos coach Kevin Walters has reportedly had a change of heart, but that hasn’t stopped a number of NRL rivals reaching out to Pangai Jnr’s management in a bid to prise him from Red Hill.
Tigers coach Michael Maguire was so keen on Pangai Jnr he began due diligence on the forward several weeks ago.
It is understood the Tigers were ready to table a two-and-a-half year deal for an immediate transfer, but Pangai Jnr’s asking price, said to be in excess of $700,000 a season, shapes as an impediment.
The Tigers have got wind of interest from the Dragons, who have a history of signing Broncos players.
Incredibly, this year’s Dragons squad already has eight ex-Broncos, including Josh McGuire, Gerard Beale, Jack Bird, Corey Norman, Ben Hunt, Tariq Sims, Andrew McCullough and Daniel Alvaro.
A ninth former Bronco, Cowboys’ Queensland Origin prop Frank Molo, will link with the Dragons next season.
The dark horse in the battle for Pangai Jnr could be the Bulldogs. Canterbury have cash to spend and are desperate for some forward strike power to haul the Bulldogs out of the premiership cellar.
BRONCOS FAN PULLS OFF A NEW CAR 'STING'
It was the 25-second sprint that earned a Broncos fan a new $60,000 car.
American sports lovers would be well aware of game-day entertainment involving ‘The Sting’, a professional sprinter tasked with chasing down a fan, who is given a headstart, in the mad dash for a cool prize.
Now ‘The Sting’ has descended on Brisbane home games at Suncorp Stadium, and it hasn’t taken long for a Broncos fan to produce a boilover and sprint his way to a new Kia Stinger.
In Brisbane’s most recent home game against Souths a fortnight ago, diehard Broncos member Blake was hauled from the crowd for a sprint showdown with The Sting.
Dressed in a black-and-red bodysuit, The Sting is a former Queensland sprint champion who can run 100m in 10.49 seconds and has scorched over 200m in 21.40sec.
Given a 35-metre head start in a 200m race, Blake showed an impressive clean pair of heels himself, just holding off The Sting in a 200m dash around Suncorp Stadium to win a flashy red Kia, his first ever car.
The Sting is hunting a new opponent for this Sunday’s clash against the Sharks. To be in the running for selection, visit the Kia activation zone on the north plaza near the Wally Lewis statue.
SMITH SHOW NO HINT
Titans forward Tino Fa’asuamaleaui insists the appearance of Melbourne Storm star Brandon Smith at a Gold Coast game was no indication of what the future holds.
The Titans have been heavily linked to Smith and have attempted to lure the gun Kiwi hooker to the Gold Coast from 2022 or 2023.
Smith fuelled speculation he could be Gold Coast bound when he was spotted in the stands at Cbus Super Stadium for the Titans’ recent game with Manly.
But his former Storm teammate Fa’asuamaleaui says he was just there to support a friend.
“I wish,” Fa’asuamaleaui said when asked if Smith was joining the Titans.
“It was just good to see him come down and support me. We’re close mates. He is like a big brother to me.”
Fa’asuamaleaui helped the Titans secure David Fifita from the Broncos and said Smith could boost the Gold Coast.
“He is a very good player and has a good character, he lightens up the group,” he said.
“He is also a gun player. He would be very handy.
“I haven’t thought about it too much. It’s his decision.
“He’s still got time at Melbourne. It was just good to see him and catch up on old times.”
STAGGS PARTY NEARLY HEADED SOUTH
We can reveal just how close Brisbane Broncos star Kotoni Staggs came to joining Newcastle.
Staggs will make his long-awaited return from a knee reconstruction on Sunday against Cronulla and will be groomed to wear Brisbane’s No. 6 jersey next season.
But he could have easily been wearing Knights colours in 2022 if not for a last-ditch bid by the Broncos.
Staggs was so close to signing with Newcastle that the Knights privately believed they had got their man and started preparing to officially announce his recruitment.
Staggs ultimately stayed loyal to the Broncos on a massive four-year $2.8 million deal.
“I re-signed with the club because I wanted to be here. This is my team and it’s home for me,” he said.
“I didn’t really want to leave the club. I got pretty close but there was something here I loved and I wanted to be here and play in that jersey.”
Staggs has engaged a psychologist to help him with the behaviour problems that led to two NRL Integrity Unit probes, $30,000 in fines and a two-game suspension during his injury lay-off.
“I’m grateful I’ve got a second chance and I will take it with both hands,” he said.
“I’ll do my best for myself and my family and make better choices.
“I’ve had a lot of help. My family is massive, the coaches at the club.
“I’m seeing a psychologist as well. All of them put together are helping me go in the right direction.”
NRL FINISHES EXPANSION REPORT
The NRL has finally finished its investigations into the merits of introducing a 17th club in Brisbane.
Strategic projects chief Lachlan Smith has spent the best part of a year compiling information on the impact of expansion with a second team in Brisbane.
The contents of the report are a tightly-held secret at NRL HQ but will play a major role in determining whether a new team joins the league from 2023.
ARLC chairman Peter V’landys said he and his fellow commissioners had a lot of reading to do before making a decision on expansion.
“We’ve got our own reports, the Gemba report (commissioned by the clubs) and the bid team submissions,” he said.
“I’ve got two folders as thick as War and Peace (novel) of information. The lockdown has been good to take some time reading it.”
PRETTY BOY ZERAFA COPS UGLY ATTACK
The Tim Tszyu camp has given Michael Zerafa a stinging verbal uppercut, calling for him to retire following revelations he was offered a $30,000 private jet to fight the son of Kostya.
Zerafa rocked the boxing fraternity on Wednesday night following his shock decision to withdraw from his fight against Tszyu, just seven days out from the Night of Reckoning in Newcastle.
Zerafa cost Fox Sports around $100,000 after cancelling promotional filming at the last minute, leaving the network which was set to screen the fight via Main Event furious.
Melbourne-based Zerafa defended his decision, claiming the latest Covid outbreak prevented he and his trainers leaving Victoria for the fight.
But Tszyu’s promoter Matt Rose has come out swinging, saying Zerafa was simply scared to fight Tszyu and accusing the 29-year-old ‘Pretty Boy’ of signing his boxing death certificate in Australia.
“He should retire - quote me on that,” Rose said.
“To be honest, Zerafa’s career is over. He will never get a major fight again in Australia. He will never get anything. He is better off retiring because there are no other big fights left for him.
“We offered to fly Zerafa and his crew on a private jet and they said no, we won’t take the fight during Covid.
“I said guys, Covid is around for five years, you won’t be fighting for a long time.
“We even offered to book out an entire motel for Zerafa in Newcastle, paying for every room to keep other guests away, and he still said no.
“This is a low act. No one in Australia will touch Zerafa after this.
“He had no injury. He chased this fight for three years and then a month ago, it got real for Michael Zerafa. He realised there was nowhere to hide.”
HORN-TSZYU II FAILS TO 'SPARK' INTEREST
Tim Tszyu explored the prospect of a rematch with former world champion Jeff ‘The Hornet’ Horn after his fight with Michael Zerafa collapsed.
It is understood Tszyu’s camp made phone calls to three possible opponents before settling for rising slugger Steve Spark, a Toowoomba product with 11 knockouts from 13 fights who is nicknamed ‘The Viking’.
One of those three possible opponents was Horn, who hasn’t fought since last August when he was comprehensively outgunned by Tszyu in an eight-round domination in Townsville.
Horn has not officially retired and told News Corp in April he would consider a comeback fight. But when contacted by the Tszyu camp on Wednesday, it is believed the man who beat Manny Pacquiao indicated he had barely trained and was in no shape to be ready for Horn-Tszyu II.
Rose said Spark, who is coming off a comprehensive unanimous defeat of Jack Brubaker in April, looms as a huge threat for Tszyu.
“Spark knocks people out, he can hurt,” Rose said.
“Spark has nothing to lose. This is what plays into his hands, no-one will expect him to beat Tszyu but he has knockout power and he has style and charisma. He is super confident and will back himself to win.
“The real issue here is Tim has to adjust. He has been thinking about Michael Zerafa for the last nine weeks. He now has to face a hot young prospect from Queensland who is on the way up, a bit like Tim.
“You know someone is confident when you ring them and there is no hesitation in their voice.
“When I called their team, Stevie Spark took the fight in five seconds and he said absolutely, but tell Tim Tszyu I am coming.
“His answer shows the difference between Zerafa and Spark.”
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Originally published as NRL 2021: Broncos face future fight to retain Payne Haas; Tevita Pangai Jnr linked to rival
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